Flat Stanley

Direct Instruction

Presentation w/ Adv
Organizer

Your Name(s): Mariah McKinnon

6
Subject: (circle one or more)
Science

Concept
Attainment

Cooperative
Learning

Inquiry
Teaching

Grade Level: (circle one) K 1 2 3 4 5

Geography

History

Economics

Political

Lesson Title: Flat Stanley Travels The World

NCSS Content standards:
D2.Geo.3.3-5. Use maps of different scales to describe the locations of cultural
environmental characteristics.
D2.Geo.2.3-5. Use maps, satellite images, photographs, and other representations to
explain relationships between the locations of places and regions and their
environmental characteristics.
Materials Needed: Flat Stanley book, location worksheet, notebook, pencil, envelope,
stamp, Flat Stanley cut out, computer or iPad
Prerequisite Skills: Students will have to know how to read and a little about how to
research. They will need to know a little bit about reading a map but that will also be
taught.
ABCD (measurable) Objectives:
Third grade students will brainstorm at least 3 people/families to send Flat Stanley to.
Given a map, they will be able to find which state all three places are in without error.
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Interaction with Students:

1. Provide objectives: (What are students going to learn?)

Students will be able to research facts about a specific location

Students will be able to write a letter
Students will be able to address an envelope correctly

2. Procedures: (may include direct instruction modeling, grouping, cooperative

learning, etc)

Students will read chapters 1 and 2 of Flat Stanley ( they will read chapter one as
a class and be assigned chapter 2 as homework)
The class will have a discussion about the chapter and Stanleys adventure to
California
The teacher will then discuss what their assignment is going to be. After reading
chapters 1 and 2 of Flat Stanley we are going to do a little project. I am going to
have you guys send your own Flat Stanley to someone you know who lives in a
different city, state, country or even continent! You may need your parents help
to complete this part of the project. You will have to brainstorm a couple people
that you know live somewhere else than you. Then you will pick one person/family

that you want to send it to. We will send a Flat Stanley that you create, a letter
and some ideas for where they can take Flat Stanley. In order to give them some
ideas we will have to learn a little bit about the place you send Flat Stanley to. To
start this I will show you my brainstorming process.
The teacher will create a list of people she loves and where they live.
Then the teacher will pick one and show the students how to find that place on a
map and how to learn some details about the place. I will fill out the worksheet
they will be given as well.

3. Check for understanding and provide student feedback: (How will you know
students understand the skill or concept? How will they know they get it?
After our class discussion I will have the students start brainstorming on their own. They
will make a list of people they know who they might want to send Flat Stanley to. They
will also list where these people live if they are able to. They will take their list home to
their parents and decide with them which one they should send it to.
4. Assessment / Closure: (How do you evaluate student progress or provide closure
to this lesson?) Attach rubric, checklist or assessment document.
ASSESSMENT
must match objectives above.
I will assess student progress by assigning worksheets for homework or during class.
One of the worksheets will have a map and they student has to mark where they are
sending Flat Stanley to. It will then ask questions about the climate, population, location
and what kind of fun things Stanley could do during his time there.
They will also have to address their own envelope after I give a lesson on that. I will
have them practice this a couple of times throughout the lessons so I can see if they are
ready for their final product, the envelope that will actually be sent.
5. DIFFERENTIATION of Content, Process or Product:
a. Adaptation for students who need extra help, time, or attention?
If students need to, they can write a letter to their parents so they can practice learning
their address and learning facts about their hometown. They will then be given a
smaller, more specific map. They will be monitored closely during their work time in
class. If necessary, the teacher will create a group of students who need help with
reading maps and give them more personalized instruction about maps.
b.Extensionforstudentsofhighability?(Remember,assigninggiftedstudentstobethetutorforothersis
notsufficientacademicchallengingforstudentswhohavemasteredthelesson).
Students with higher abilities will be required to find someone who is out of stat. They
will then have to tell me if the location is north, east, south or west of Iowa. They will
also have to find a route that Flat Stanley could travel on if he were driving.
6. References (Curriculum materials, previous teachers, online websites, your past
experiences, etc):
I think I did a lesson very similar to this in third grade. I remember we had to send Flat
Stanley to someone we knew and send pictures of fun things that Flat Stanley did with
me. We then received pictures and a letter back.